Scootin' through Scotland; probing Provence; into Italy's past. : Thursday 30 March

We caught the bus for the extended (one and a half hours) trip to Nimes, the “French Rome”, a historic Roman town in modern-day France that was a stopping point on the route between Italy and Spain. Rome’s first emperor, Gauis Octavius (born 63 BCE), who became Caesar Augustus, had a special affinity with Nimes and the imperial “cult” developed around him, ensuring that Nimes was favourably treated as long as it continued to pay homage to the cult that surrounded him. This is manifested in some of the structures we visited today and which have remained largely intact over the ensuing centuries.

First was a long walk from the bus/railway station down a grand boulevarde to the enormous town square and the Arienes de Nimes, the best preserved amphitheatre in the world, although it could perhaps more accurately be described as a colosseum, built about 70CE (soon after the colosseum of Rome) as a venue for gladiatorial combat and other entertainment. Although not quite as big as the Rome Colosseum (it is 133m long by 101m wide and could hold 24,000 spectators) it is in much better condition. It has had a chequered history; it became part of the fortifications in anticipation of the 5^th century incursions by the Visigoths and later the Saracens who turned back east from Spain, and it became a sanctuary for those seeking safety, leading to the erection of many dwellings inside the fortified walls, most of which have only been demolished within the last century or so.

We then made our way along the paved and cobbled avenues and laneways to the[JU1] Maison Carree, the best- preserved Roman temple anywhere in the world. This is quite amazing; it looks like it could have been built yesterday, not two thousand years ago – between the end of the 1^st century BCE and the beginning of the 1^st century CE. A beautiful building, surrounded by Corinthian columns showing the influence of Greek architecture on early Roman architecture[JU2] . A virtual reality presentation shows how it would have looked, standing supreme in the dominant square of Nimes, surrounded on all sides by colonnades. In accordance with the imperial cult, the temple was dedicated to Caesar Augustus’ family.

A walk through the Church of St Paul was followed by a visit to the Place de L’Horloge to view the 15th century clock tower, which not only told the time but called the councillors to their meeting. Then a walk through the food markets in the Halles de Nimes, savouring their daily displays of seafoods, meats, cheeses, breads, vegetables and the like.

That reminded us that we were hungry so we stopped at the Place de L’Horloge for a delicious lunch.

Our final destination for the day was a long walk to Les Jardine de la Fontaine, a huge area of canals and statuary, first established in the 6^th century, with wide paths leading past fountains, statues and ponds (containing real fish). One feature was the Temple of Diana, the substantial remains of a 1^st century temple, built under Emperor Caesar Augustus. Nobody seems to know why it is called the Temple of Diana, but it is. An imposing structure.

We then made the long trek up the hill to the 1^st century Magna Tower, which was the high point (literally) of the fortifications built by Caesar August. Magnificent view over the city and surrounding areas.

We slowly made our way down the hill, then the long, long trek back to the bus depot and the welcome respite throughout the journey back to Avignon. A big day – 19,000 steps. But worth it!